Wind-wheel toy.



H. C. GEELS.

WIND WHEEL TOY. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 27, 1910. RENEWED JAN. 1a, 1912.

1,01 9,245. Patented Mar. 5, 1912 2 SHEETS-SHiET 1.

H72 0. GEELS. MN!) WHEEL TOY. APPLICATION PILED'JUNE 27, 191 0. RENEWED JAN. 18, 1912.

, 1,019,245, Patented Mar. 5; 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

' .described and then specifically pointed out trative of the preferred embodiment of the invent-ion consists in certain novel features 1 is a perspective view of the standard socket the means for coupling it to the frame.

the coil upon the stop collar.

"or I are;

C HERMAN C. GEELS, 0 DECATUR, INDIANA.

WIND-WHEEL TOY.

To all-whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMAN G. GEELS, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Decatur, in the county of Adams, State of In diana, have invented certain new and usefu Im )rovements in lVind-lVheel Toys; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to toys, more par ticularly to the class of wind-wheel actuated toys, and has for one of its objects to provide asimply constructed device wherein the figure of a man riding a bicycle is represented.

Another object of the invention is to improve and simplify the construction of the mechanism whereby the various movements are accomplished.

Another object of the invention is to pro duce a device wherein a limited number ofparts are employed to produce the various features and movements.

With these and other objects in view, the

of construction as hereinafter shown and in the claims; and, in the drawings illusinvention, Figure. 1 is a side elevation of the improved device, Fig. 2 is front elevation of thesame, Fig. 3 is a sectional detail on the line 33 of Fig. 1, illustrating the construction of the main frame, Fig. 41

detached, illustrating its construction and Fig; 5 is a'detail view illustrating a modifi cation in the construction of the wind-wheel. The improved device comprises in general a standard 10 adapted to be connected to any suitable stationary support, but for the purpose of illustration is shown connected by screws 11 to a post 12. The standard 10 is provided with a stop collar 13 spaced from its upper end, and surrounding the standard above the stop collar is a combined vane and figure support formed from-a single piece of wire coiled at 14; around the standard and resting by the lower helix of The wire is bent at right angles to thestandard 10, as shown at 15, to support a wind vane 16,

Specification of Letters Patent.

while the wire is continued upwardly from Patented Mar. 5, 1912. Renewed January is, 1912. Serial n. 671,963.

end, as shown at 18 to increase the width,

the objectto be hereinafter explained.

The figure which is supported .upon the wire 17 is in the form of a man riding a bicycle, the main back bone portion of the bicycle together with the portion represent-- ing the forks is formed from a single strip of sheet metal and comprises an-intermedi ate portion 19 having the edges rolled over as shown at 20 to increase the strength and stiffness. ,At its rear end the portion 19 is bifurcated to form two spaced side portions which are curved downwardly as shown at 21 to provide means for supporting a rear wheel 22 of any suitable construction, but preferably struck up from a single disk of sheet metal and mounted for rotation by a pin 23 between the forked portions. At its forward. end the frame member is formed of two downwardly directed portions 24 spaced apart and representing the forward fork of a bicycleframe. The frame is conducted forwardly and thence directed upwardly, as represented at 25 to resemble the steering head of a bicycle and with outwardly directed portions 26 to represent the steering arms of a bicycle. The back bone. member 19 is also provided with upwardly directed standards 45- 16, as shown.

Connected to the main body portion 19 of the frame is a tubular member 27 to engage over the turned over portion 18 of the member 17, the socket member 27 having upwardly directed prongs 28 which engage through apertures in the central portion 19 of the frame and are thence bent in opposite directions to couple the socket to the frame. The socket corresponds in width to the turnedover portion 18 and fits closely over the same, and thus provides an efiicient 'means for mounting the frame upon the standard. /By this means the frame is supported upon the member 17 and the latter is rotatable upon the standard 10 by means of the bearing produced by the coils 14.- .The horizontal portion 15 and the wind vane 16 stand at right angles to the frame 18 and its attachments, and thus holds the wind wheel in the wind, as hereinafter explained.

Mounted for rotation between the spaced members 24 of the frame is awind wheel formed from a single plate of sheet metal and is constructed in a peculiarand novelmanner., The plate from \vlriclrthe wind wheel is constructed is provided with a plurality of "segmental apertures 29 near its rim and with clefts 30 extending from one end of each of the apertures toward the center of the disk, whereby angular tongues or blades 31 are released which maybe bent at an angle to the body of the blade, and thus produce a plurality of vanes which may be actuated by the wind and cause the disk .to rotate. By this arrangement a coupling ring 32 is produced at the margin of thedisk and each vane is coupled to the outer ring by a relatively small-portion 33, as shown. In Fig. 1 the connecting portions 33 are lo-. cated at each side of each vane, whereas in Fig. the portions 33 are located centrally of the vane, but either construction may be employed without departing from the principle of the invention, as the same results are produced by'both arrangements. Extending through the lower ends of the spaced portions 24 of the framev is an axle pin 34,

and connected to this pin externally ofthe port-ions 24 aresmall arms 35 representing the treadles of a bicycle, the arms 35 being arranged to extend in opposite directions in imitation of the treadles of a bicycle. The

I body portion 35 of the figure or rider is formed of a single plateof sheet metal bent into U-shape and representing the body of a man in outline with the arms 37 integral therewith and united to the transverse portion-26 which represents the handle-bar.

Extending through the side members which form the body portion 36 of the figure 'and also. through the standards 46 is a rod 38, and mounted. to swing upon the rod are two members 39 which represent the up-: per portions of the legs of the figure. At the lower end of each of the leg portions 39 are extensions 40 which are bent over into parallel relations to the portions 39 and provided with pins 41 which extend through the two parts 3940.

The pins 41 provide means for pivoting the lower leg portions 42 to the upper leg portions 39, and closely resemble the kneejoints of the figure. I The lower leg portions '42 terminate in the representations of feet 43, the feet portions being pivoted at 44- to the treadles 35, as shown. By this means when the improved device is located where the wind can blow against the wind-wheel the latter will be revolved and thus correspondingly revolve the treadle members 35 and impart motion to the leg members of the figure in close imitation of the movements of a man riding abicycle, the windsaid wind wheel.

required shape, while the body of the figureincluding the head and the arms is also constructed from a single plate of sheet metal bent into U-shape.

The head 47 of the figure is formed integral with one of the sides of the body and is bent at the neck to bring the head centrally of the body. 7

What is claimed is 1. In a toy of the class described, a stationary standard, a 'movable standard formed from a single piece of wire coiled centrally thereof around said stationary standard to form a bearing with one portion directed horizontally and provided with a vane and the other .portion directed vertically with the terminal turned over in par'-' allel relations to the vertical portion, a

frame having a. socket engaging over the.

turned over portion of the movable standard, a wind wheel carried by said frame, a figure mounted upon said frame, and means for operating the figure by the movement of 2. In a toy of the class described, aframe formed of a single strip'of sheet metal with the intermediate portion turned inwardly at the edges and-with downwardly directed forward portions spaced apart and a bifurcated rear portion, a shaft extending. through said. forward spaced portions, arms carried by said shaft, a figure including a body supported upon said frame, upper leg members swingingly connected to said body and with" turned over portions upon their free ends, lower leg members pivoted at one end to said upper leg members between said members and their turned over portions thereof and pivoted at their other ends to said arms, and a wind wheel carried by said shaft.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

HERMAN C. ,GEELS.

\V-itnesses:

DAVID E. SMITH, JOHN SoHURoEn. 

